Can anyone offer any guidance, esp BTDT moms! Moving & School options conundrum

[runningmama80]

Hi!  I need some guidance.  :)  We are currently living in the Cleveland area, looking to move to better weather.   We have decided to look at a couple areas in NC.  Charlotte is seeming like the front runner right now.  We have to visit the area of course, but on paper, and from talking to friends in the area, it's looking good. I have a EG DS 4.5. We were originally going to try to move down there in august, so that DS could start school in the fall.


Here's the problem I'm running into, right now, he is accepted for early k admission into the gifted charter in cleveland.  We had already decided to send him there next year.

I talked to the gifted coordinator of the Charlotte school system to see what our schooling options are. They have a gifted program in the public school system, but it doesn't start until second grade.  They will do some enrichment in K and first, but it's probably not going to meet DS needs. They will early enroll kids, but its up to the principal at each individual school. So we would need to move there, and then find where his base school is and ask that principal.

There is also a gifted magnet program.  It's harder to get into than the Regular gifted program.  It sounds awesome, there are only about 12 kids in each class, and that is with a teacher and an aid! The curriculum is highly individualized, it sounded like there were pretty much  individual lesson plans. I'm pretty sure DS could get in to that school, they require a Stanford Binet score of 145+, he took the WPPSI and his FS IQ was 139, so I'm hoping he would do well on the SB5.   The problem with this school is they will not do early enrollment.  I asked her if he could do K elsewhere and then transfer to the magnet for first, and she said that is allowed. However, I'm learning that the Charlotte school system is having some problems, and magnets are in jeopardy.

So here are our choices,
A. Stay in cleveland for another year and have DS complete K at the gifted charter, and then move next summer.  This is probably the best option, because we do have some things that we would have to come back for if we left now. (weddings, etc)

B. Move this summer, and try to early enroll him in public k, and hope he's not too bored. We could then try to get him into the gifted magnet for first.

C. Move now and either send him to preschool next year or keep him home next year, and then start him at the gifted magnet the following year, which is the year he's technically supposed to start.


D. Something else that I didn't think of, Homeschool maybe?  

thank you for your help, I'm completely overwhelmed right now!

ETA:  Please excuse my typos, on my ipad. :)

[ChristaN]

I would definitely test on the SB-V before assuming that he'd get into the smaller HG+ school in NC.  I'm not saying that his score won't make it, but that I'd want to be sure if I was banking on that as the only good option.

The regular GT programming that starts in 2nd in Charlotte doesn't sound like a good fit for an EG child from what little you've said about it.  We have the same type of program here and it fits pretty well for lower MG kids or high achievers but not so much so for HG+ kids.  If staying for a year in Cleveland is an option, I might do that for now b/c it is late in the school year to be trying for significant accommodations for next fall at a school that doesn't know your ds.  I'd then retest on the SB-V by early next year to see if the magnet school in NC would work.

The budget cuts are scary, but an unknown.  Giving yourselves another year might also give you more time to see how that plays out for the magnet's future.

[serenbat]

I can't help you with the "gifted" end of things but I certainly can tell you about the schools systems in Charlotte (PLEASE also post in the tribe section)

My BFF lives there and had do deal with the "special" education section of the district (she spend yesterday in the capital pushing for more funding) and that is the issue----please do research prior to moving!!!!!!

She recently helped another family re-located from another state and they are shocked at what they are NOT getting-plus you really should look into the non-school other issues in the area to see if it really is a good fit for you.

Many schools have a year round (so that is what they call it!) can be a nightmare to some people-so if it is OK with you it might work----WORK is the key word---you DO NOT work if you have to deal with on again off again child care at all your mini school breaks--just to let you know.

If you want more info you can PM me. Best of luck!

Edited by serenbat - 5/4/11 at 1:44pm

[runningmama80]

I forgot about the tribe section, I will defiitely cross post!

Do you know if the school situation is similar in the Chapel Hill area?  The wake county schools sound like they have the same issues as the charlotte schools.

Thanks for the replies!

[serenbat]

personally I know about Charlotte's budget cuts only (thus the reason on yesterdays march) and they are BIG!

another (what I feel is major) is you may enter regular public school and deal with "year-round", personally speaking my friend has a spectrum child and the go and stop is a NIGHTMARE --- reading here many "gifted" parents talk about changes effect their child this might factor into your decision to move- that would be really important to me-maybe totally different once in the magnet school (and the do have a lot of them) ---but there are OTHER things that may be a factor as well to think about---if you can get info on the section you are thinking about ASK how the weather was this past winter---it's like ANOTHER world---NO school because it's COLD (no nothing on the ground --just COLD!!) if you work and suddenly you are dealing (coming from the North) this is a major shock-not to mention NO snow plow equipment and you WAIT until what ever falls melts- in my friends district (she is from the north and use to weather and is blown away by how they act --like the earth is ending when one flake falls!!)-it can be a shock to the system, not to mention driving (being use to weather) with a population that is not use to it-------anyway this year was the first and they have been there almost 10 years that her child's school put in "snow" days because of the winter they had....really looking into the area and making lots of visits is the key

[TiredX2]

If you have him tested and he would definatley qualify for the magnet, I would go with that--- at his "correct" age.  My thinking--- if you can get him in a class with his true peers, you don't need to do a grade skip.  My kids are in full-time gifted programs and DD had one child in 3rd grade who had not been in the full-time program before.  To get him to the "right" grade level, his parents had put him up two grades (he had a September birthday, so only 1 year, 8 days, but two school years).  Once he was in the full time program he ended up being retained a grade to be closer with his age, and ability, peers.  Skipping is generally only necessary if you *can't* get the acceleration you need within the correct grade.

That said, DD is actually one grade ahead in the full time program and it is working out great for her.  DS, meanwhile, is one grade "behind" (he has an 8/31 birthday with an 8/31 cut-off, he's now in the younger grade) and it's also working.  In general, though, I encourage people to go with the "correct" grade unless there is an obvious problem.

I don't know about the funding there.  Good luck!

[runningmama80]

Thank you for the replies! 

We are having a hard time finding an acceptable replacement for our school for next year.  We can really move anywhere in the country, but would like to stay on the east coast, in milder weather.  The charlotte school system doesn't seem like such a great fit anymore, so we may be back to the drawing board.

I am also having a hard time finding someone who will test with the SB-5.  everyone here uses the WPPSI or WISC.  My son has had the WPPSI, but no in the time frame they want for early entrance, and the gifted magnet won't take it at all, only the SB-5.  He scored 139 for FSIQ  on the WPPSI, (147 on verbal and 127 on performance) which is 99.5%, and he needs 99.9% on the SB-5 (score of 145 +/-) so that school may not be an option anyways. 

[pigpokey]

Atlanta is a great place to home school -- in the sense that there are a lot of OUT of home classes, teams and experiences available to make home schooling a pleasure.  Many of us are educating high ability learners.  There are lots of resources.  I think most metro areas at this point offer this, as home and virtual schooling go mainstream.

[runningmama80]

Originally Posted by pigpokey 

Atlanta is a great place to home school -- in the sense that there are a lot of OUT of home classes, teams and experiences available to make home schooling a pleasure.  Many of us are educating high ability learners.  There are lots of resources.  I think most metro areas at this point offer this, as home and virtual schooling go mainstream.

We have just started to consider HSing.  I'm a little gun shy, as it's a huge commitment, but I have to say I'm also intrigued.